erase

[ ih-reys ]

verb (used with object)

, e·rased, e·ras·ing.

1. to rub or scrape out, as letters or characters written, engraved, etc.; efface.

   Synonyms: obliterate, expunge

   Antonyms: restore

2. to eliminate completely:

   She couldn't erase the tragic scene from her memory.

3. to obliterate (material recorded on magnetic tape or a magnetic disk):

   She erased the message.

   Antonyms: restore

4. to obliterate recorded material from (a magnetic tape or disk):

   He accidentally erased the tape.

5. Computers. to remove (data) from computer storage.
6. to exclude, replace, or refuse to recognize (the identity, experience, or contribution of a minority group or group member): whitewash ( def 7b ).

   Framing rape as a woman’s issue erases men’s accounts of sexual violence from public discourse.

7. Slang. to murder:

   The gang had to erase him before he informed on them.

verb (used without object)

, e·rased, e·ras·ing.

1. to give way to effacement readily or easily.
2. to obliterate characters, letters, markings, etc., from something.

erase

/ ɪˈreɪz /

verb

1. to obliterate or rub out (something written, typed, etc)
2. tr to destroy all traces of; remove completely

   time erases grief

3. to remove (a recording) from (magnetic tape)
4. tr computing to replace (data) on a storage device with characters representing an absence of data

Derived Forms

• eˈrasable, adjective

Other Words From

• e·rasa·bili·ty noun
• e·rasa·ble adjective
• half-e·rased adjective
• none·rasa·ble adjective
• une·rasa·ble adjective
• une·rased adjective
• une·rasing adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of erase¹

First recorded in 1595–1605; from Latin ērāsus (past participle of ērādere ), equivalent to ē- e- ¹ + rāsus “scraped”; raze

Word History and Origins

Origin of erase¹

C17: from Latin ērādere to scrape off, from ex- ¹+ rādere to scratch, scrape

Synonym Study

See cancel.

Example Sentences

But Israel's critics wonder that tactic will be used to erase the evidence of possible genocide.

From Salon

“The far-left and the radical left they want to erase women and womens’ rights and I’m not going to let them.”

From Salon

Historians say the colonial administrators put down any rebellions and often burnt Naga villages to subdue them, in the process erasing much of their important cultural markers such as paintings, engravings and artefacts.

From BBC

It's not currently possible to change the relevant epigenetic marks in the cell nucleus with drugs and thus erase the epigenetic memory.

From Science Daily

Someday, history’s gaze will fall upon this chapter and in that mirror the nation may confront its own failures, enduring an international shame too deep to erase.

From Salon

Related Words

• abolish
• delete
• eliminate
• expunge
• negate
• obliterate
• wipe out